This invention relates to a method and a machine for the production of a decorated article of ice confectionery of the ice lolly type (water ice, sorbet or two-flavoured ice cream).
Hereinafter, the generic term "ice" used on its own is understood to encompass the various compositions mentioned above.
In the field of articles bought on impulse, such as ice lollies, consumers are constantly seeking new shapes or new decorative patterns. Water ices in particular lend themselves to decoration with contrasting patterns of different colours by virtue of the fact that the absence of aeration, or the low degree of aeration of the mixture to be frozen provides the article with a surface of sparkling appearance.
An attractive pattern is formed by contrasting longitudinal stripes. To produce a pattern such as this, for example in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,080, a frozen core is made from a first water ice mixture of one colour and of a first flavour by means of a first mould generally frustocylindrical in shape and formed with longitudinal grooves, for example in the form of a spiral as illustrated at the surface of the stick. The core thus formed is then introduced into a second mould having the same cross-section as the first mould, but without any grooves, the interstices between the core and the second mould are filled with a liquid water ice mixture of a second flavour and of another colour contrasting with the preceding colour, after which the mixture is frozen and the article is demoulded.
In practice of the method of the '080 patent, in view of the reduced dimensions of the lollies and the presence of the holding sticks, the second flavour is very difficult to introduce into the grooves without splashing. In addition, since the mixture cannot be exactly introduced into the interstices in practice, it is preferred to introduce an excess of liquid capable of filling the interstices by gravity so that, in the end products, the stripes are not vertically aligned. Finally, because the mixture introduced is liquid, it is able to penetrate between the wall of the second mould and the core which is not always exactly adapted to this mould, overflowing from the grooves in the form of a film which, after freezing of the article, produces a coating that spoils the cleanness of the contrasts.
The problem addressed by the present invention was to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a process and a machine for the production of decorated two-flavoured ice lollies of the above-mentioned type and of other types beyond the scope of the known process with cleanly contrasting stripes.